Tree band material



Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

American Cyanamid Company,

New York,

N. Y., a corporation of Maine No Drawing. Application December 30, 1932, Serial No. 649.598

'1 Claims. (Cl. 167-49) The present invention relates to an insecticide to combat the codling moth or the like.

There has been proposed the use of an insecticide compounded from a technical grade of beta naphthol, and lubricating oil of the red engine type, by impregnating a paper band with the material, which is then aflixed or applied to a tree on which the codling moth larvae cocoon. The active insecticide is the beta naphthol, while the i0 lubricating oil is the carrier.

Numerous experiments conducted along this line have disclosed that when the technical grade of beta naphthol is used, there is a tendency after a very short period of time for the beta naphthol to crystallize or separate out of the oil carrier and flake off. This flaking and separation of the active ingredient may occur either in shipment or handling of the bands impregnated with the mixture, or by reason of the action of wind and rain upon the bands when in place on the trees. Obviously if this flaking occurs, the efiiciency of the band as a combatting agent of the codling moth larvae is decreased by just that extent.

The principal object of the present invention,

therefore, is to produce a compound or mixture including beta naphthol which will not flake off even after long periods of time and under comparatively rough handling conditions, which may be applied to the tree either direct or through the instrumentality of an absorbent medium.

. Experiments have very definitely pointed to the fact that some kind of a beta naphthol separation preventing material is necessary either for the purpose of definitely bonding beta naphthol to the carrier, or to aid in the solubility of the beta naphthol in the oil carrier.

It has been discovered that if a grade of beta naphthol of a purity less than the technical grade is used with a carrier, this detrimental flaking is prevented in a substantial degree. Further experiments have pointed to the fact that the reason for this action is the presence of the impurities in the beta naphthol which may be generally designated as beta naphthol tar. This impurity may be an oxynaphthoic resin.

Beta naphthol can be prepared by many methods. An accepted practice .is to sulphonate naphthalene with sulphuric acid of at least 66 B. at temperatures varying from 130 to 180 C.

The proportion of naphthalene to acid may be varied between wide limits, some procedures using at 1:1 ratio while other procedures go as high as 112. When the sulphonation is complete, themass is drownedin water and the acid separated bycrrstallizlnsasasodasalt. Thissodasaltis then fused with caustic soda at temperatures ranging up to 300 C. or somewhat higher. When the fusion is completethe mass is again drowned in water and precipitated to effect separation of the beta naphthol. The latter is collected by filtration. This is a crude naphthol and contains isomeric bodies, hom'ologues, by-products and tar.

To obtain a product of high purity, the 'crude may be carefully vacuum distilled. If the distillation is'too prolonged, impurities pass over with the distillate and the resulting product is of an inferior quality. Thetechnical product usually contains over 99% beta naphthol. Technical specifications restrict the alpha naphthol content to As above set forth, if this technical grade'of beta naphthol is used detrimental flaking occurs, but this may be avoided if the purification distillation process of the crude beta naphthol is conducted only to the point where substantial quantities of the tar or distillation residue remains in the product. As a matter of fact, the crude beta naphthol maybe used without any purification process whatever. On the other hand, the technical grade may be mixed with distillation residues or an oxynaphthoic resin to introduce into the flnal product sufliclent quantities of the tarry matters to give the desired eifect.'

It is not possible to define the actual quantity of this tarry residue which normally occurs in the crude beta naphthol as much depends upon the process of manufacture' As a preferred embodiment of the invention, a proportion of beta naphthol to beta naphthol tar should be substantially 3: 1.

In most cases it is preferable that this beta naphthol of an ultimate purity less than technical be mixed with a carrier of an oily nature. Lubricating oil of the red engine type has been found to be eminently satisfactory. It has been found, however, that other oils whether of mineral, vegetable or animal origin, are suitable, although as above set forth, a red engine oil having a viscosity figure of 300 is preferable.

A mixture of beta naphthol, beta naphthol adherent and 'oil in substantially the proportions of 3:1 to 1.5 have been found to be satisfactory for most purposes. In this combination the beta naphthol separation preventing material may be either beta naphthol tar, cocoanut oil fatty acid, aluminum -.oleate, oleic acid, an oxynaphthoic resin, or in fact any other material which will prevent the separation of the beta naphthol from -.the oily carrier and subsequent flaking.

" It is to be noted that the beta naphthol tar,

beta naphthol distillation residues or oxynaphthoic resins as proposed above, to prevent separation. of the beta naphthol from the carrier or to increase the solubility of the beta naphthoi in the carrier. have certain desirable toxic properties. As a result of the use of these materials the total toxic effect of the beta naphthol is not diminished as would be the case 'were'this separation preventing material of a more or less inert nature. This, of course, is a decided advantage.

One convenient method of applying this insec-" ticide to trees is to impregnate an absorbent medium therewith. This medium may be paper, preferably of the crepe type, cloth or other fabric. cotton or in fact any material of a substantially absorbent nature or of a nature to which the mixtures will adhere. These bands are then applied to the tree by surrounding either the trunk or the limbs thereof. The codling moth larvae in seeking a dark place in which to cocoon, travel I beneath the band and there perform this natural function. The beta naphthol carried by the mixobviously the invention is not to be restricted thereto but is to be construed broadly and only by the scope of the claims.

I claim: 1. An insecticide containing beta naphthol and an oil carrier therefor and a material for preventing separation of the beta naphthol from the oil. 2. An insecticide containing beta naphthol and an oil carrier therefor and a material for preventing separation of the beta naphthol from the oil including beta naphthol tar.

3. An insecticide containing beta naphthol and an oil carrier therefor and a material for preventing separation of the beta naphthol from the oil including the residue from a beta naphthol distillation.

4. An insecticide containing beta naphthol, an oil carrier therefor and a material for preventing separation of the beta naphthol from the carrier including beta napthol tar, in substantially the proportions of 3: 1.5: 1.

5. An insecticide containing beta napthol, an oil carrier therefor and a toxic material to prevent separation of the beta napthol from the cartier.

6. A tree band including an absorbent mediumimpregnated with beta napthol, beta napthol tar and an oil.

7. A tree band including an absorbent medium impregnated with beta naphthol, beta naphthol tar and an oil in substantially the proportions of 3:'l:1.5.

. GUY H. BUCHANAN. 

